7 intriguing facts of Jagannath Puri

Shri Jagannath's Temple in Puri has uttermost importance for the Hindu devotees as it is one of the Char-Dham pilgrimages i.e. Puri, Dwaraka, Badrinath, and Rameshwar. This temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, but that's not the sole reason people worship Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra and elder brother Lord Balabhadra.

Jagannath Puri is also famous for the mysteries and undefinable facts that catch the traveler's eye worldwide. Devotees believe that all these are blessings of Lord Jagannath, and people who consider these as myths should visit the place themselves and find themselves dumbfounded. So, here are some most intriguing facts about Jagannath Puri.

1. No birds, no planes fly above the Lord

They say no one's above God, so nothing flies above it. It'll leave you surprised to encounter such a divine miracle that no birds, no planes fly above the temple. This is a rare contrast compared to other temples, as we have always seen birds resting on the top of temples are other entities. The temple is considered as a no-fly zone, not by any state government orders but by the Lord himself. And this phenomenon apparently has no scientific explanation.

2. Flag defying the power of wind

All of us know that any cloth flows towards wind direction, be it the sails of ship or the kites we flew in our childhoods. But here, the flag that flies atop of the Jagannath temple is an exception to this common principle. No scientific explanations reason the flag flow in the opposite direction of wind.

3. Mute oceans

As soon as you step inside the main door, i.e. Singha Dwara entrance of the temple, you can't hear the burble of water. And this phenomenon is more prominent in the evenings. But once you step out the audibility of water returns. It's said that Devi Subhadra wished for serenity inside the temple walls and by this her wish was duly fulfilled.

4. Neela Chakra at the pinnacle

The riddle of Neela Chakra (Blue wheel) has still been unsolved. First, just think about the fact, how did the wheel made of 8 different alloys and a 36 feet circumference get up there at the pinnacle with just a human force of that century. Second, the view of this wheel doesn't really depend on the direction that we look at it from. It's like it was designed to look the same from all directions.

5. The temple casts no shadows

Every small object/thing/ peoples have shadows. But ever wondered what if something doesn't have a shadow? The temple Jagannath Puri doesn't cast any shadow on any part of the day under sunlight. If this is not a miracle, what would it be; just an unexplained phenomenon with no scientific reason to back up.

6. The magical techniques to cook

The traditional methods for cooking the mahaprasadam have been preserved here from the start. They place exactly 7 pots, one above the other on the firewood. Enchantingly, the upper pot gets cooked first, followed by the rest in order.

7. Mahaprasad never goes vain here

In India, wasting food is considered as a bad sign; the temple crew lives by this same. So, here at Jagannath temple the food is never futile, even if the crowd of devotees may vary from 2,000 to 2,00,000. Miraculously, the Parsadam prepared every day is never wasted, not even a bite. Could this be an effective management or the Lord's will?

After reading such celestial facts, you might want to see them yourself. So, do not forget to check these facts on your next trip to Odisha and share your experience with me.